Dubai Healthcare City Patient Survey Shows 9 Out Of 10 Are Satisfied With Level Of Care

Sunday, Nov 01, 2015

DHCC today releases findings of its Patient Satisfaction Survey 2014-15. The survey measured patients’ experience of received care and identified the main drivers of satisfaction.

Dubai, November 01, 2015:  Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), the world’s largest healthcare free zone, today released findings of its Patient Satisfaction Survey 2014-15.

The survey measured patients’ experience of received care and identified the main drivers of satisfaction.

The findings are based on face-to-face interviews with 500 patients, distributed across six categories of hospitals and clinics in DHCC, and selected on the basis of footfall. Interviews were conducted via a structured questionnaire with patients who had appointments between December 2014 and January 2015.

The questionnaire addressed four indicators of satisfaction: facilities and premises; appointment process; hospital/clinic staff; and referrals.  

As per the findings, 9 out of 10 patients are satisfied with staff and healthcare practitioners across all categories in Dubai Healthcare City, and are willing to recommend the facilities they are currently visiting to their friends and colleagues.

Highest satisfaction was observed in care/treatment, staff/healthcare practitioner interaction, and areas of safety and hygiene.

Her Excellency Dr Raja Al Gurg, Vice-Chairperson and Executive Director of Dubai Healthcare City Authority said, various studies point out how surveys are an important tool to achieve high satisfaction scores. “The [survey] results are also important to measure performance and make continuous improvements. In this, we are proud to have maintained a high level of satisfaction especially with the majority of patients reporting positive experience in Dubai Healthcare City facilities.”

The survey provided insights into the patient profile - represented by Asian expatriates (majority) followed by Arab expatriates, Emiratis and Western expatriates. The top three reasons for visiting were prescheduled appointments, followed by check-ups for a current medical condition and routine check-ups.

A majority of the patients in small clinics stated that they were informed about cost, risks and possible outcomes of the treatment they were receiving. Conversely, patients from medium to large clinical facilities were observed to be relatively less informed.

The identified areas to increase satisfaction included directions/signage within and outside of DHCC and an external factor - access to public transport.

Dr Ramadan AlBlooshi, Managing Director, Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory, said, “It’s not just about getting the patients involved, but using their feedback in our strategies to improve patient satisfaction and looking into areas of concern in hospitals and clinics. Consistent with international studies, the survey pointed out that personal care is associated with higher levels of satisfaction.”  

Dr AlBlooshi added, “We are very pleased that a small proportion of complaints were registered at hospital / clinics in Dubai Healthcare City.”  

Industry experts state that patient satisfaction surveys provide an essential source of information to identify gaps and develop an action plan for improvement. The Patient Satisfaction Survey 2014-15 was conducted by an independent market research company.